Gardaí have seized 10 vehicles including jeeps from a gang in Cork who used various paving, gardening and landscaping businesses to target elderly persons and deceive them of money.
Officers from the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and other Garda divisions carried out 11 searches in total on Wednesday morning, 17 April. Seven residential premises, one plot of land, and three professional premises (solicitors and accountants), all in Co Cork were raided.
Among the 10 seized vehicles were a 181 Toyota Hilux, 2015 a Toyota Hilux (UK registration), a 191 Toyota Land Cruiser, a 181 Ford Focus Sport, a 191 Ford Focus, a 172 Ford Transit pick-up and a 162 Kia.
Four Rolex watches and cash to the value of €31,500 were also seized.
Cash to the value of €31,500 was seized during the raids. \ Garda Siochana Facebook
Extortion
The CAB investigation centres on an organised crime gang made up of members of an extended family. According to Gardaí, they are involved in fraud, theft, deception, extortion, burglaries and the sale and supply of controlled drugs.
In a statement Gardaí said: “This organised crime gang use various paving, gardening and landscaping businesses to target elderly and vulnerable persons to deceive them of money.
“They use intimidation to instil fear into their victims and charge exorbitant rates for substandard work.”
Gardaí suspect the gang of extorting large sums of cash from elderly and vulnerable persons for unnecessary work before engaging in theft and burglary in the areas where they carry out work.
Major development
Detective chief superintendent Pat Clavin said the search operation was a significant development in the CAB investigation and was viewed as a major disruption to the activities of the gang.
Gardaí from the Cork city Garda division, the Garda emergency response unit (ERU), the southern region armed support unit, the Garda stolen motor vehicle investigation unit, the Garda mounted unit, the Garda dog unit and the Revenue customs dog units were all part of the raid.
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Gardaí have seized 10 vehicles including jeeps from a gang in Cork who used various paving, gardening and landscaping businesses to target elderly persons and deceive them of money.
Officers from the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and other Garda divisions carried out 11 searches in total on Wednesday morning, 17 April. Seven residential premises, one plot of land, and three professional premises (solicitors and accountants), all in Co Cork were raided.
Among the 10 seized vehicles were a 181 Toyota Hilux, 2015 a Toyota Hilux (UK registration), a 191 Toyota Land Cruiser, a 181 Ford Focus Sport, a 191 Ford Focus, a 172 Ford Transit pick-up and a 162 Kia.
Four Rolex watches and cash to the value of €31,500 were also seized.
Cash to the value of €31,500 was seized during the raids. \ Garda Siochana Facebook
Extortion
The CAB investigation centres on an organised crime gang made up of members of an extended family. According to Gardaí, they are involved in fraud, theft, deception, extortion, burglaries and the sale and supply of controlled drugs.
In a statement Gardaí said: “This organised crime gang use various paving, gardening and landscaping businesses to target elderly and vulnerable persons to deceive them of money.
“They use intimidation to instil fear into their victims and charge exorbitant rates for substandard work.”
Gardaí suspect the gang of extorting large sums of cash from elderly and vulnerable persons for unnecessary work before engaging in theft and burglary in the areas where they carry out work.
Major development
Detective chief superintendent Pat Clavin said the search operation was a significant development in the CAB investigation and was viewed as a major disruption to the activities of the gang.
Gardaí from the Cork city Garda division, the Garda emergency response unit (ERU), the southern region armed support unit, the Garda stolen motor vehicle investigation unit, the Garda mounted unit, the Garda dog unit and the Revenue customs dog units were all part of the raid.
Read more
Tractor 'chop shop' dealer jailed for two years
In pictures: CAB crackdown on gang targeting Meath farms
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